Took my old North Sumo out for a run yesterday - actually, first time since I broke my wrist riding it 3 years ago! Was surprised at how well it went upwind, despite all the rocker but DAY-UM it's a stiff board! Like being beaten in the knees with a stick!

Took my old North Sumo out for a run yesterday - actually, first time since I broke my wrist riding it 3 years ago! Was surprised at how well it went upwind, despite all the rocker but DAY-UM it's a stiff board! Like being beaten in the knees with a stick!

I was thinking the Axis Vangaurd might be your choice, but it is described as medium flex, so I am wondering how rough the ride would be for what you want. Lots of size choices though, and it looks pretty cool.

Took my old North Sumo out for a run yesterday - actually, first time since I broke my wrist riding it 3 years ago! Was surprised at how well it went upwind, despite all the rocker but DAY-UM it's a stiff board! Like being beaten in the knees with a stick!

I was thinking the Axis Vangaurd might be your choice, but it is described as medium flex, so I am wondering how rough the ride would be for what you want. Lots of size choices though, and it looks pretty cool.

What's "medium flex" on a modern board mean though?!?!

The Sumo has about 20mm of flex if you really lean onto it a steel plate would flex more under it's own weight!

Flex has huge range, On the spectrum from noodle all the way to rock I would place most of the boards on the market today barely up from noodle. There have always been boards like Jimmy Lewis and other customs that choose the defined rocker line over the variable one of a flexy board, but the reality I fear is that the ease and cost of snowboard style production has been embraced by the industry and flexy is everywhere unless you go out of your way to avoid it. Flexi is forgiving too so it only makes sense that the established companies like being able to hedge their bets and keep flexy boards the norm.

So, the Z-series. My goodness, it's a great board . . . except . . . when I'm over-powered and want to edge hard and boost. I know there's technique to it, cos I've managed to adapt to riding it and eliminated spray in the face and being unable to go upwind well, but when it's really cranking I just can't get the resistance I need.

I put it down to the narrow tips - they're 30cm, compared to the 42cm of the waist.

So now I'm looking for boards that are wide and the tips and put the fins close to or behind the edge of the heels . . . meh, I know what I mean. My beloved Flyradical3 138x42 was shaped like a mini-door, while the Flyradical4 seems to be thinner than the old one put me off . . .

Slingshot is the only company I've seen that lists the tip widths of their boards - 37cm for the 139x43 Darko IIRC. Hmm . . .

Very interested in a 2013 Cabrinha Xcaliber though . . . took it out VERY briefly the other day, but instantly it was like "Oh yes I LIKE this one!" and the tips seem wide and square, around 35cm for the 139x43.